Game board with game piece ejecting device



March 26, 1957 J -r 2,786,681

GAME BOARD WITH GAME PIECE EJECTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN A ELLETT Y ZL WCJW A TTORNEYS.

GAME BOARD WITH GAME PIECE EJECTING DEVECE John Albert Ellett, Kirkwood, Mo., assignor to Northwestern Mail Box Co., a corporation of Missouri Application December 27, 1955, Serial No; 555,633

8 Claims. (Cl. 273-136) This invention relates to improvements in 1 game-boards --forgames thatemploy separate'playin'g piecesorcounters, such as checkers. The principal object'of the'invention is'directed to the provision of improved means in and associated with the game board for storing thecoun ters'to preserve them against loss and'assure their ready availability for play.

An important object of the invention is achievedin a game-board having-an internal compartment'for'the storage of counters, and improved means of" simple character for effecting the removal of the said counters from the compartment in a manner wherein they are-delivered I to the top surface for convenient placement in positions for play. An object is to make it unnecessary to'lift, turn, or shake the'board to expedite removal of the'pie'ces from storage, such as is now required in certain boards having internal storage compartments.

An object of the invention is to provide'a'game'board andassociated means of the charactendescribed which Fig; 4 is a partial transverse section taken-alongfline 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a partial bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale.

The game board which I have chosen to illustrate my invention is formed for the most part of sheet metal stampings. These include a circular base member or bottom plate 10, a circular top member 11, and a closure 13 for the storage compartment.

The bottom plate is formed to provide an upwardly struck annular rib 14 which is spaced radially inwardly a small distance from the edge of the plate. This rib coacts with a complementary, downwardly struck rib 15 formed on the top plate 11 and together they define the inner wall of an annular compartment 16. Compartment 16 encircles the central playing surface of the game board and is separated therefrom by the annular groove 17, formed by rib 15, which groove assists in preventing the playing pieces from rolling away from the playing area. The outer side wall 18 of compartment 16 is constituted by a downwardly turned marginal portion of the upper plate 11. The extreme edge of that portion is flanged outwardly, as indicated at 19. Such an annular peripheral flange is confined for sliding movement within an annular groove or guideway formed by an inwardly turned lip 20 on the marginal flange 21 of the bottom tates Patent ice 2 plate 10. The annular top wall 22 of compartment 16 has raised concentric rims 23, producing a channelled surface or track above the storage compartment. It will beunderstood that the upper plate 11 may be rotated on 5 the lower plate 10. Such feature is utilized in connection with the removal of the playing pieces from the storage compartment as will be hereafter explained.

Plate 10 is ldesirably provided witha downwardly struck annular base rib 24, located near the outer edge 10 of the assembly. 'A pair of transverse grooves 25 (Fig. 5 inthe base rib24 accommodates the leg portions of a wire bale 26 whose lateral bent ends 27 extend through the perforated, outwardly struck lugs 28 in the base plate 10. 1Bale26 provides a' finger-piece or grip for holding 15 the bottom plate in a fixed position while the upper plate isbeingturned. It is adapted to be swung to a non-pro- "tnlding position when not in use, which position is shown in dotted lines inFig. 5. .A transverse ridge 29 formed 'in" the top plate 11 affords a grip to facilitate turning that 2 member as the lower plate is being held by means of the 1 said bale.

The playing pieces or'counters 31 are introduced into the annular storagecompartment through an elongated opening formed in the top wall 22, whereafter the said 25 opening is adapted to be closed by the channel-shaped slide. member 13 having side flanges 41 that contact the side walls of the compartment and hold the member in a set position. Themember is slidable longitudinally to :and from'a closed position underlying the opening 30 and'is adapted to be engaged for such movement by means of a transverse ridge 33 at its forward end. To'assist in the'removal'of the counters an oblique guide or ramp 32 isprovided in the compartment space adjacent the opening 30. Inlthe present example the ramp 32 is formed in- 35 tegrallywith the closure member 13 as an extension of .its'forward end. When the member 13 is retracted to "uncover'the opening 30. the ramp is moved to its operativeposition which is below and directly opposite to the opening30. .The manipulating ridge 33 serves to limit the extent of movement 'of the slide closure 13 by its abutment'with' the end margins of the opening.

The counters 31 are discharged from the compartment "by the rotation of the top plate relative to the bottom plate, thus to movethe ramp toward the train of counters which are prevented from traveling within the compa'rtm'entfby an upstanding shoulder projection 34, formedonthe bottom plate 11. It will thus be seen that if the bottom plate is fixedly held and the top plate rotated in the proper direction the counters will be caused to be diverted by the ramp outwardly of the compartment through the opening 30. The same result will be obtained if the top plate is fixedly held and the bottom plate turned. In their outward progression the counters are led to the channel track constituted by the top surface of the upper compartment wall. From such location the counters may be readily placed in starting positions on the playing surface.

The foregoing specification illustrates and describes a practical form of my invention. It will be understood that certain changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and intendment of the invention which is defined by the following claims:

I claim: 1. A game board comprising a base plate, a top plate mounted thereon, one of said plates having a channel formed therein to provide a compartment between the plates for the storage of playing pieces, an opening in one of the plates communicating with said compartment, a closure for said opening, a guide member in said channel for guiding playing pieces outwardly through said opening, and an element extending into said channel for moving the playing pieces therein toward said guide memher for discharge through said opening.

2. A circular game board comprising a bottom plate, top plate, means connecting said plates together for relative rotation, portions of said plates being spaced apart to form an intermediate storage compartment for playing pieces, an opening in one of said plates communicating with said storage compartment, a member extending obliquely within said compartment for directing playing pieces outwardly through said opening, and an element extending from the other plate into said compartment, said element limiting longitudinal travel of the game pieces within said compartment.

3. A game board comprising a circular base plate, a circular top plate mounted for rotary movement on said base plate, one of said plates having an annular channel in its inner side forming a storage compartment for playing pieces, an opening in the top plate communicating with said storage compartment, a closure for said opening, a ramp extending in said channel for directing playing pieces upwardly through said opening, and an element on the base plate for limiting travel of said pieces in said compartment.

4. A circular game board comprising a bottom plate, a top plate, means connecting said plates together for relative rotation, said plates being formed to provide a concentric, arcuate compartment for the storage of playing pieces, an opening in the top plate communicating with said compartment, a slidable closure member for I p l 1 said opening, a guide element extending from said closure member obliquely into the compartment, and means carried by the bottom plate for moving stored playing pieces toward said guide element for discharge through said opening.

5. A game board comprising horizontal top and bottom members, means connecting marginal portions of said members together and adapting said members for rotation, one relative to the other, arcuate walls defining an elongated, curved compartment between said members, an opening in said top member communicating with said compartment, a closure element movably mounted on said top member adjacent said opening, said element having a prolongation extending slopingly in said compartment, constituting a ramp for conveying playing pieces from the compartment through said opening, and an element on said bottom member extending into said compartment, for limiting longitudinal travel of the game pieces in the compartment.

6. A circular game board comprising a bottom plate, a top plate, means connecting marginal portions of said plates together for relative rotation, said plates having spaced portions providing an inner counter storage compartment of arcuate trend, means to facilitate turning said plates, an opening in the upper plate, above said compartment, a ramp element in said compartment adjacent said opening, and a projection on said lower plate extending into said compartment for limiting travel of stored game pieces in the compartment.

7. A circular game board comprising a circular base plate, a circular top plate, means marginally uniting said plates for relative rotation, means forming a channelled track on the upper side of said top plate, arcuate wall portions defining a storage compartment for game pieces between said plates, an opening in said upper plate forming a passage between said compartment and said track, a member extending obliquely in said compartment adjacent said opening for diverting game pieces through said opening and onto said track, and an element on said base member for limtiing travel of the game pieces in said compartment.

8. A hollow circular game board comprising a top plate, a bottom plate, an annular side wall formed on the top plate, interengaging marginal flanges uniting said plates for rotary relative movement, an annular inner wall spaced from said side wall, said walls forming the sides of an annular compartment between said plates for the storage of game pieces, annular ribs formed on the upper side of said top plate, said ribs defining a channelled track above said annular compartment, an opening in the top plate providing a passageway between said compartment and said track, a closure for said opening, a ramp in said compartment adjacent said opening for diverting game pieces from the compartment through said opening and onto said track, a projection on said bottom plate for limiting travel of the game pieces in said compartment, and projections on said plates to facilitate relative rotation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 990,593 Highland Apr. 25, 1911 1,764,352 Sacerdote June 17, 1930 2,194,009 Conner Mar. 19, 1940 2,218,998 Weiss Oct. 22, 1940 2,235,615 Hufiaker Mar. 18, 1941 2,398,368 Fox Apr. 16, 1946 2,424,123 Schruben July 15, 1947 2,431,490 Lauer Nov. 25, 1947 

